Constitution class
Original Configuration Type: Heavy Cruiser Length: 289 meters Beam: 132 meters Draft: 73 meters Mass: 190,000 metric tons Crew: 430 (43 officers, 387 enlisted) Maximum Speed: Warp 8 (Cochrane scale) Armament: 2 to 6 phaser emitters, 2 to 6 photon torpedo launchers Defenses: Deflector shields Refit Configuration Type: Heavy Cruiser Length: 305 meters Beam: 141 meters Draft: 71 meters Mass: 200,000 metric tons (est) Crew: 500 (72 officers, 428 enlisted) Armament: 9 phaser emitters (dual mounts), 2 photon torpedo launchers Defenses: Deflector shields The Constitution''-class starships''' were the premiere front-line Starfleet vessels in the latter half of the 23rd century. They were designed for long duration missions with minimal outside support. They are best known for their celebrated missions of galactic exploration and diplomacy which typically lasted up to five years. Original Constitution Class The Constitution class starships were launched in 2245 (Star Trek Encyclopedia), and served as Starfleet's front-line vessel for the rest of the century. Designed for long duration missions with minimal outside support, they are best known for their celebrated missions of galactic exploration and diplomacy which typically lasted up to five years. The Constitution class ships also served as a mighty deterrent to both the Klingon and Romulan Empires, several times taking part in combat actions which determined the fate of the entire Federation if not the Alpha Quadrant itself. The ship was probably refurbished some time between 2254, when there were 203 people aboard, (TOS: "The Cage") and 2266, when the Constitution class had a crew complement of over 400 (TOS: "Charlie X"). The most famous Constitution class starship was the USS Enterprise, launched under the command of Captain Robert April in 2245. The Enterprise gained its reputation during its five year mission (2265-2270) under the command of Captain James T. Kirk. (VOY: "Q2") :The Constitution class was designed by Star Trek: The Original Series art director Matt Jefferies. There were several slight modifications to the Enterprise model after the first and after the second pilot. Constitution class Refit In the late 2260s, the Constitution class ships underwent a major refit program. The actual refitting took eighteen months of work and essentially a new vessel was built onto the bones of the old, replacing virtually every major system. Thus the Constitution class ships continued in service for a further twenty years. :The Constitution class refit was designed by Andrew Probert, partly based on Mike Minor's design sketches for ''Star Trek: Phase II. Other artists who worked on the refit design were Joe Jennings, Douglas Trumbull, and Harald Michelson.'' Interior Design :'''''See: Constitution class interior. Ships of the Class *[[USS Constitution|USS Constitution]] (NCC-1700) *[[USS Constellation|USS Constellation]] (NCC-1017) *[[USS Defiant (NCC-1764)|USS Defiant]] (NCC-1764) *[[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS Enterprise]] (NCC-1701) *[[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)|USS Enterprise]] (NCC-1701-A) *[[USS Excalibur|USS Excalibur]] (NCC-1705) *[[USS Exeter|USS Exeter]] (NCC-????) *[[USS Hood|USS Hood]] (NCC-????) *[[USS Intrepid|USS Intrepid]] (NCC-????) *[[USS Lexington|USS Lexington]] (NCC-1709) *[[USS Potemkin|USS Potemkin]] (NCC-????) *[[USS Yorktown|USS Yorktown]] (NCC-1717) Uncertain Ships *[[USS Essex|USS Essex]] (NCC-????) *[[USS Farragut|USS Farragut]] (NCC-1647) *[[USS Kongo|USS Kongo]] (NCC-1710) *[[USS Republic|USS Republic]] (NCC-1371) Appearances *Star Trek: The Original Series *Star Trek: The Motion Picture *Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan *Star Trek III: The Search for Spock *Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home *Star Trek V: The Final Frontier *Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Footnotes *'Registry numbers': Although the Star Trek Encyclopedia and other references provide complete registry numbers for many Constitution class ships, these numbers are at best conjecture. Many of the Encyclopedia's numbers, especially, were derived from the faulty assumption that the list seen on the wall at Starbase 11 in Court Martial were all Constitutions. Many fans now doubt that claim. *'Uncertain ships': These ships have been listed in various references as Constitutions, but were never seen on screen as such, and are therefore of uncertain class. *'"Starship" class': If you read the dedication plaque on the bridge of the original Enterprise, it was actually listed as "Starship Class". The term Constitution class came later, probably from "Space Seed", where one of Scotty's technical manual screens showed a phaser bank diagram for a "Constitution class" starship. Though it was "understood" to have been Constitution Class by both production staff and fans alike, the first time it was actually referred to as such was by Captain Jean-Luc Picard in "Relics". *'"Enterprise" class': The exact designation of the Constitution refit is a divisive one within Star Trek fandom. Some maintain that the comprehensive nature of the refit of the Constitutions between TOS and the movie era constitutes a new starship class, while others consider the two types maintaining the same profile and hull geometry as keeping the class consistent. : In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS Enterprise]] simulator at Starfleet Academy refers to the ship as an "Enterprise class" vessel. However, the blueprints that Scotty is seen examining in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country are labeled "Constitution Class (Refit)". : Both designations are supported by behind the scenes material and interviews, Andrew Probert in particular mentioning that the design for the refit was originally designated "Enterprise class". : The official canon maintains the (Refit) classification as the correct designation. *'USS Yorktown': Gene Roddenberry suggested that the USS Enterprise-A was first designated as USS Yorktown, and later recommissioned as USS Enterprise-A. nl:Constitution klasse